Billionaire's Marriage Bargain

by Leanne Banks

  “I’m sure you’re still enjoying your honeymoon period,” Lilli said with a knowing smile. “What’s new at the Megalos house?”

  “Cats,” Mallory said. “I adopted two cats.”

  Lilli gaped. “Oh, my gosh. How did Alex react to that?”

  “Surprisingly well,” Mallory said and shook her head. “And they seem to love him. They wind around his ankles every night when he comes home.” She still couldn’t believe it, but she supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. Alex could turn every woman to putty. She just hadn’t known his powers extended to felines.

  Lilli glanced at the other side of the room. “It looks like there’s going to be an announcement. We should join our husbands.”

  Mallory walked to Alex’s side. He held a glass of Scotch in his hand and appeared attentive, but relaxed. She knew better, though. He hadn’t touched his drink and every once in a while his jaw clenched.

  She shouldn’t care, and she told herself it was just human nature not to want to see another human being suffer, but Mallory knew that the first wave of her white-hot anger and indignation against Alex had finally cooled. “Are you okay?” she asked in a low voice.

  He met her gaze and she saw a flash of turbulence before he covered it. “Yes. You’re drinking water. Did you want something else?”

  She shook her head, thinking she would just like to leave the oppressive atmosphere. “Who is he?” she asked, nodding toward the man getting ready to speak.

  “James Oldham, one of the board of directors,” he said.

  “He has shifty eyes,” she whispered.

  Alex chuckled. “You continue to delight me.”

  His statement was so natural it caught her off guard. Mallory often dismissed Alex’s compliments because she assumed a hidden agenda. This time there was none and she couldn’t suppress a burst of pleasure.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us on such short notice,” James Oldham said. “As you know, Megalos-De Luca Enterprises has long provided travelers all over the world with the ultimate resort luxury experience. We continue to do that. We also continue to refine the bottom line so that we keep our stockholders happy. To best facilitate that continued refinement, we are bringing in the best of the best in reengineering consulting firms to help us improve our financial edge in this complicated world market. Please welcome Damien Medici,” he said and the door to the room opened, revealing a tall, dark man with black hair, olive skin and dark, watchful eyes. His lips lifted in the barest of smiles. He turned his head and she glimpsed a jagged scar along his jaw.

  Mallory watched Alex give a nod and a soundless clap of his hands while the rest of the room applauded. Max leaned toward Alex and said something. Mallory felt the tension in the room grow exponentially and took a sip of her water.

  “No relation to Santa Claus, is he?” she said to Alex.

  His lips twisted in humor and he slid his hand behind her back. “Not exactly. He goes by a couple nicknames. The Terminator. Switch for switchblade. Here he comes,” he said.

  Mallory turned to find Damien Medici studying the four of them intently, with particular interest in Alex and Max. He extended his hand. “The two namesakes of the company. I’ve heard much about you. Max, Alex,” he said, shaking each of their hands. “We have more in common than you probably think. I look forward to working with you.”

  Damien turned to Lilli. “Mrs. De Luca?” he enquired and smiled. “Max did well.” He then turned to Mallory and extended his hand. “As did Alex, Mrs. Megalos.”

  Mallory reluctantly accepted his hand. “Mr. Medici,” she said.

  “I’ll be meeting with each of you individually soon,” Damien said to Max and Alex.

  “Welcome to Megalos-De Luca Enterprises,” Alex said in his regular charming voice, but Mallory didn’t miss the emphasis on the company name. Alex and Max would protect the company. Damien might not know it, but he would be facing the fight of his life if he wrangled with the two of them.

  Damien nodded and walked away. Alex and Max exchanged a look then Alex glanced down, pulling his BlackBerry from his pocket. He frowned. “We should go,” he said to Mallory and escorted her from the gathering.

  Alex was completely silent during the drive to the condo. That should have been fine, but Mallory couldn’t stop herself from being concerned. She knew he was bothered about Damien Medici, but she wondered if there was something else bringing that dark look to his face. Could it be something about the development in West Virginia?

  He absently wished her good-night, and Mallory went to bed, but didn’t sleep well. Rising early despite her lack of sleep, she showered and got dressed. Entering the kitchen, she was surprised to see Alex seated at the table talking on the phone.

  As soon as he caught sight of her, he cut off the conversation. “Please have a seat,” he said, standing and pulling out a chair for her.

  Mallory felt a ripple of uneasiness. Although she glimpsed slight shadows beneath his eyes, Alex seemed almost too controlled, too calm. She took the seat he offered. “Okay.”

  He took a deep breath. “I’ll give you the divorce you want.”

  Shock hit her like a cannonball. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”

  “I said I’ll give you a divorce,” he said in that too calm voice.

  Shock hit her again, followed by confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets, one sign that he wasn’t as calm as he seemed. “I don’t expect you to understand. That’s why I’m giving you the divorce. Chloe,” he began.

  “Your ex-girlfriend?” Mallory could hardly forget the woman since the willowy blonde had shown up during her trip to the islands and the wedding reception.

  “We were briefly involved, which was a terrible mistake on my part,” he said in a cold, crisp voice. “I can’t allow you to suffer as a result of my mistake.”

  Mallory shook her head, still confused. “I don’t understand. Would you please sit down? This is a strange enough conversation without my having to crane to look up at you.”

  Alex reluctantly sat. “Chloe is threatening to go to the press with a story that she’s pregnant with my child. She’s claiming she got pregnant while you and I were seeing each other.”

  Mallory’s heart stopped. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. “She’s pregnant with your child?”

  He shook his head. “No, she isn’t.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I always wore protection and we were only together twice,” he said.

  “But condoms don’t provide perfect protection,” Mallory said more to herself than to Alex, her mind spinning with the news. She felt a deep twist of resentment and jealousy at the thought of Chloe bearing Alex’s child.

  “The woman is a pathological liar,” Alex said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s not pregnant at all.”

  Mallory stared at him. “Really?”

  “Really,” he said and finally swore. “She showed up uninvited at our wedding reception, for God’s sake.”

  “Were you still seeing her when you and I—”

  “Absolutely not,” he said and took her hand in his. “I swear it. I broke up with her before you and I got involved. Once there was you, there was no one else.”

  Mallory felt a shiver run down her body at the naked honesty in Alex’s eyes. Her emotions running all over the place, she looked at him helplessly. “If she’s lying, then why do you want to divorce me?”

  “I can’t put you through this kind of scandal. I refuse to do it. You don’t deserve it. The only way I can protect you is to divorce you.” He drew in a slow breath. “I’ll take care of it quickly and quietly. I have to leave town on business for the next few days. While I’m gone you can choose where you’d like to move. I think it’s best that you leave Vegas, at least for a while, so you won’t have to answer questions.” He paused. “I’m sorry. Divorcing you is that last thing I want to do, but it’s the only choice.
Chloe is promising a long, drawn-out fight, and I know you would never escape the whispers. Chloe was my mistake, not yours. You deserve the fresh start that I can’t give you.”

  Fifteen minutes later, she watched him walk out of the condo. Mallory felt as if she’d been sucked into a killer tornado and spit out in pieces. She wandered the condo, shell-shocked.

  She should be happy, shouldn’t she? This was what she’d wanted, no, demanded of Alex. Now she could be free to pursue her own life, her own dreams. Freedom was what she’d been craving for years.

  Why did she feel like crying? Why did she feel as if someone important to her had died? Biting her lip, Mallory walked to her new bedroom and felt tears stinging her eyes. She blinked furiously to make them stop, but they streamed down her face.

  Sinking onto the bed, she tried to come to terms with what Alex had told her and his solution. Her cats hopped onto the bed and rubbed against her. She grabbed Gorgeous and held him against her. He mewed in sympathy.

  She glanced at the books for her online class sitting on her dresser. She’d had a hard time concentrating lately. How much harder would it be now?

  She tried to formulate a plan. While she packed her belongings, she would figure out where to go. California, she thought, and immediately rejected the idea. Somewhere different. Somewhere that no one knew her. The East Coast. Florida. A remote, sunny island. A downpour of images of the time she and Alex had shared in Cabo stormed through her. The memories were so sweet she ached from them.

  She pulled a suitcase from the closet and began to fill it with clothes. Heaven help her, she was confused. She’d spent most of her life doing what everyone else had told her to do. During the last month, she’d been tricked into marrying the man of her dreams. Now she was getting a divorce. She hadn’t wanted to get married. She didn’t want a divorce.

  The thought took her by surprise. She opened another drawer and dumped the clothes into the suitcase then stopped. A question echoed in her mind, throughout her body. What did she really want?

  Four days later, Alex returned from his business trip. Riding the elevator to the penthouse, he dreaded walking into his home. He’d been tempted to stay at the resort downtown. Even though Mallory had been furious with him during the last week they’d been together, he’d still looked forward to her presence.

  He despised the fact that his life had become tabloid fodder. He despised the fact that he’d been forced to cut Mallory out of his life for her protection. He felt gutted, empty. He’d always been so sure a woman couldn’t get to his soul. Until Mallory.

  He’d even started liking her cats.

  The elevator stopped at the top floor and the doors opened. Swearing under his breath, he braced himself for utter quiet. He opened the door to the condo and gritted his teeth. He had never known he could be this miserable.

  Closing the door behind him, he dropped his suitcase in the foyer and walked into the den. The calico sprinted out to greet him with the black male at her heels. He stared at the cats in confusion.

  “What the—”

  The cats wove around his ankles, mewing. Untangling himself, Alex raced to Mallory’s room. Empty except for the furniture that had been there before she moved. His heart fell to his stomach.

  Why the hell were the cats here? Had she left them with him for some sick reason? He backtracked to the kitchen, searching for Jean, but there was no sign of the housekeeper. He noticed, however, that the sliding door to the deck was slightly ajar. He stood very still. Was that music playing?

  Confusion and anticipation coursed through him. He stepped outside and heard the music coming from the upper deck. He couldn’t imagine why she would still be here. He’d made it perfectly clear to Mallory that he would give her a divorce. He hadn’t softened the scandal he was facing.

  Climbing the stairs to the upper terrace, he didn’t know what to expect. It certainly wasn’t finding Mallory reclined on a chaise lounge wearing a silky gown.

  She glanced up to meet his gaze and smiled. A knot of longing formed in his throat. He wondered if he was dreaming.

  “Welcome home,” she said and sat up in the chair. “I poured a glass of Scotch for you. It’s on the bar if you want it.”

  He did. Lifting the small glass from the bar, he took a long sip, feeling the burn all the way down. He met her gaze again. “I thought you would be gone.”

  “I almost was,” she said, rising to her feet. “I packed up everything. But the whole time I couldn’t stop asking myself what I really wanted.” She moved toward him.

  His heart pounded hard and deep. “And what was your answer?”

  “I want to be the woman of your dreams,” she said. “I want to be the woman you choose above all the other women. I want to be the woman you love even though you never thought you would fall in love.”

  He narrowed his eyes, steeling himself against the temptation to take her in his arms. “Love won’t fix the mess with Chloe.”

  Her eyes flashed with sadness then she lifted her chin in determination. “Do you love me?”

  Stunned by her boldness, he stared at her for a full moment before responding. “It doesn’t matter. I won’t put you through this scandal.”

  She pressed her lips together. “Afraid I can’t take it, right?”

  “I didn’t say that,” he said.

  “You may as well. Are you going to underestimate me like everyone else has?”

  Surprised again, Alex felt as if she were taking him on a ride with hairpin turns and gut-wrenching drops. “I don’t underestimate you. I know you’re an amazing woman. Adventurous, kind, sexy.”

  She made a moue of her lips. “Sounds like you might like me a little bit.”

  “A little bit,” he echoed and swore. He took another swallow of his drink. He didn’t know how it had happened, but he was tied up in knots over her.

  “I wouldn’t have thought you were the quitting kind,” she said. “Not if it was something you really wanted.”

  “I’m not,” he said.

  “Then you must not want me very much,” she said.

  His breath left his body. “Dammit,” he said reaching for her. “I want you too much. I can’t stand to see you hurt by all this. I finally find a woman who makes me feel like a human being, who makes me feel alive inside and I have to give her up. Dammit, it’s killing me, Mallory. Don’t make it any harder.”

  Mallory blinked, dropping her jaw and working it for a few seconds. She shook her head. “I’m going to make it very hard. I love you and I’m tired of being told what I should want and what I should do. You and I got married and I can stomp my foot and scream and rail at you because of the deal you made with my father, but the truth is I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t want to.” She took a deep breath. “And I don’t think anyone, including my father, could have forced you to marry me. So, Mr. Megalos, consider yourself stuck with me.”

  Alex stared at her in amazement, not quite able to believe her. “Are you sure? This is going to get messy.”

  “Life is messy,” she said. “I want to spend mine with you.”

  In that moment she made all Alex’s dreams come true at once. He pulled her against him. “I love you more than I can tell you. You really are the woman of my dreams.”

  He took her mouth in a soul-searing kiss that went on and on. He felt dampness against his cheeks and realized she was crying. Pulling back, he searched her face. “Mallory?”

  “I was so afraid,” she said. “So afraid that maybe I was wrong, that maybe you didn’t love me.”

  “Oh, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her against him. “I guess I’ll just have to spend the rest of my life telling you and showing you how very much I love you.”

  She took a trembling breath. “Starting now?”

  He swung her into his arms and headed down the steps. “Starting now.”

  Epilogue

  Six weeks later…

  Poring over lists, charts and plans for Alex’s resort in West V
irginia, Mallory sneaked a peek through the glass oven door and felt a twinge of relief. Good, she hadn’t burned anything this time. Cooking wasn’t her forte, and even though it wasn’t technically necessary for her to cook, she wanted to be able to fix something special for Alex. He’d been working so hard, engaged in a constant corporate battle with Damien Medici. The master of reorganization had been a major pain in the rear and she just wished he would go far, far away. The planet Jupiter sounded like a good place for him.

  With both her kitties snoozing at her feet, she glanced back at her work. She took her job for Alex very seriously. In fact, Alex joked that she took it too seriously sometimes when she was glued to her cell phone getting answers to questions and smoothing out rough spots. She could tell, however, that he was proud of her. It was amazing how much their relationship had changed once they’d admitted their love to each other. The difference was night and day.

  Hearing the front door open, she watched the cats race out of the room. Seconds later they began to mew in welcome.

  “Good afternoon, you spoiled, beautiful felines,” Alex said in an affectionate voice at odds with his words. “What have you been up to today? Shredding curtains, ripping upholstery? Mallory?” he called.

  Her heart still hiccupped at the sound of his voice. “In the kitchen,” she said, rising from the table and peeking into the oven again. So far, so good.

  Alex strode into the room and pulled her into his arms. If she didn’t know better, she would say he was even more gorgeous than the first day she’d seen him. “How was your day?” he asked. “Tell me you’re finished with your work,” he said before she could answer, and lowered his mouth to hers.

  Mallory bubbled with laughter, then sank into his kiss and his embrace. He kissed her as if she were the only woman on earth, and she was starting to believe that maybe she was for him.

  She pulled back and took a couple of quick breaths. “I had one more thing I wanted to do before—”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re done. I have plans for you.”